INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization, with 190 member countries. Our role is to enable police around the world to work together to make the world a safer place. Our high-tech infrastructure of technical and operational support helps meet the growing challenges of fighting crime in the 21st century.

This is where you will find the latest news and multimedia from INTERPOL. Read our news stories and speeches; see the Organization in action through videos and photo galleries; and download our fact sheets, brochures and annual reports.

Our global police communications channels and internationally recognized alert systems allow police around the world to share data instantly and securely. A 24-hour contact point and specialized teams provide targeted support to serious crime or disaster incidents.

Drugs

The drug trade and its associated crimes continue to grow in most parts of the world.

Global abuse and accessibility to drugs have become increasingly widespread as trafficking routes have become shorter, more diverse and borders more easily crossed.

The drug trade involves growers, producers, couriers, suppliers, dealers and users and affects people in almost all of our 190 member countries.

INTERPOL's response

Our criminal intelligence officers focus on the most commonly used and trafficked narcotic drugs – cannabis, cocaine, heroin and psychotropic substances – in addition to precursor chemicals and doping substances.

The Organization's primary drug-control role is to identify new drug trafficking trends and criminal organizations operating at the international level and to assist all national and international law enforcement bodies concerned with countering the illicit production, trafficking and abuse of drugs by:

Collecting and analysing data obtained from member countries for strategic and tactical intelligence reports and disseminating these reports to the concerned countries;

Responding to and supporting international drug investigations;

Helping to coordinate drug investigations involving at least two member countries;

Organizing operational working meetings between member countries where INTERPOL has identified common links in cases being investigated in these countries;

Organizing regional or global conferences on specific drug topics: the aims of which are to assess the extent of the drug problem, exchange information on the latest investigative techniques and strengthen cooperation within the law enforcement community.

We maintain close liaison with national law enforcement agencies and with non-governmental organizations that have a counter-drug mandate. This constant communication is crucial in fulfilling our mission of aiding the international community in curbing illicit drug trafficking and sales.